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Congress Shouldn’t Skip Town

Congress Shouldn’t Skip Town

This isn't a healthcare crisis, this is a state of emergency. 14,000 Americans are losing their coverage every day, and 17,000 are forced into bankruptcy every week because they can't pay their medical bills.

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This isn’t a healthcare crisis, this is a state of emergency. 14,000 Americans are losing their coverage every day, and 17,000 are forced into bankruptcy every week because they can’t pay their medical bills.

So what’s Congress doing?

Going on vacation.

This Friday, the House is scheduled to leave town and the Senate willfollow a week later. They won’t return until September–that’s right,September 8.

We’ve waited 55 years for this moment–since President Truman firsttried to pass universal healthcare. With a strong Democratic Majorityin the House, filibuster-proof 60-member Democratic caucus in theSenate and President Obama in the White House–we are on the cusp ofreal reform.

But now the GOP–abetted by too many conservative Dems–is attempting to delay, obstruct, and ultimately kill reform. This vacation just plays into their hands–giving them more time for scare tactics, further enriching the lobbyists, and increasing the likelihood that some weak kneed Democrats will sell out on the public option and progressive funding.

At a time when millions of Americans can only afford–at best–a”staycation”, Congress needs to stick around town and vote on a bill. Majority Whip James Clyburn gets it. (Ed Schultz has been all over thison his show too.)

“It is much better to postpone, if not cancel vacation–our Augustbreak–and stay here until we get this done,” Representative Clyburnsaid. “This is too important.”

He’s right. The vast majority of Americans are counting on Democrats tocome through with a public option. The vast majority supports thewealthiest Americans–who most benefited from the Bush tax cuts–paying for it with a surcharge.

The majority of people are on the side of real reform. Now is the timeto ride that momentum and pass legislation–not stifle it by skippingtown.